Mikal Bridges is 3-and-D and more

Mikal Bridges, Villanova’s star wing, has slowly been creeping up draft boards in a manner similar to that of Donovan Mitchell last year. While Bridges does not have the ability to create offense off the dribble like Mitchell, he probably doesn’t get enough respect for his ability to be more than just a very good 3-and-D player.

Bridges catch-and-shoot 3-point ability has been at a NBA level for some time now. The college line is not a restriction as he has consistently shown NBA range from deep, even with a hand in his face. He leans slightly back on his shot but his quick release accompanied with his length (he’s 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot wingspan) makes it awfully tough to block his shot.

Villanova runs this play frequently for Bridges to get him coming off a curl. His footwork matched with his ability to elevate straight up makes a great system fit for teams such as the Hornets who have several pin downs, flex screens, and wide screens in their playbook. His ability to move off the ball in an arrhythmic way and his understanding of proper timing, a product of most Jay Wright offenses, catches the defender sleeping.

A year ago, Bridges hesitated driving to the rim out of fear. Above is an example of where he just lacked confidence to keep going last year. Watching, he wants to drive but it just is not quite there yet. He was learning how to ride a bike with training wheels. Finally, he has faced his fears, taken the training wheels off, and riding that two-wheeler very well.

Bridges has developed to the point where he is now able to go downhill, absorb contact and hold his position. While stronger with the right, driving with his left hand is a nonissue. In the Big East Conference Championship, Bridges shows what his added strength has allowed him to do. His long stride covers a decent chunk of realty. Looking at the past two clips, the confidence from one drive compared to the other almost appears to be different players. He asserted his will forcing his way to the rim and drawing the foul in the second. Finishing around the rim has not fully materialized yet but the natural progression for what is next to come.

Most defenders struggle guarding a pure shooter who can move well off the ball. A pure shooter who can also drive to the rim makes the defense wary of stepping up to try and suffocate the shooter. A pure shooter who can also take a one dribble pull-up at high efficiency is lethal. Bridges has developed pull-up game and forced front offices to start to thinking about his name on draft boards above the teens. His well-rounded arsenal with a pull-up jumper is part of what separates him from the Lonnie Walker’s and Chandler Hutchinson’s of the draft.

Defensively, Bridges may be the best player in the country this season. At the NBA level, his discipline to commit only 2.6 fouls per 40 (via kenpom.com) increases his likelihood for success. Coaches scream stay down all the time but not many players execute as well as Bridges. Additionally, his versatility to guard multiple positions creates about as ideal a player as there is in the NBA today. On the drive, his length and ability to stay in front of players forces them to take tough shots. Off the ball, his ability to utilize his length and shoot the gaps has a coach like Erik Spoelstra fantasizing.

One area of concern for Bridges defensively is in pick-and-roll coverage. Here we see a miscommunication where he was supposed to veer the defender towards the sideline but instead blows the coverage and gets nailed by the screen. Defending on ball, he has a tendency to give his defender quite a bit of space which ultimately harms him in this situation.

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Overall, he navigates screens off the ball magnificently but struggles to fight over on ball screens. Screens consistently nail Bridges helping the offense create their desired advantage. The ability to defend the pick-and-roll in the NBA parallels the importance of the pregame PB&J, without it, the ability to stick around is questionable.

Bridges entered this season as a solid prospect with the potential to develop into a very good role player in the NBA. With the development in his offensive game, his increased comfort attacking off the dribble and taking pull-up jumpers, he suddenly looks like something a little bit more than that.